Concrete Conventions & Tradeshows for 2025: This short list includes a wide range of events covering all kinds of areas in the concrete industry. Take a look and see which you will be attending in 2025. https://www.forconstructionpros.com/concrete/equipment-products/article/22923561/concrete-conventions-and-tradeshows-for-2025
Revolutionizing Construction: The Impact of 3D Printing and Cement Plant Innovations
Explore how 3D printing in concrete is transforming construction processes and pushing boundaries in design and efficiency. Learn about the latest advancements in cement plant adaptations that are driving innovation and sustainability in the industry.
Dive into the full article to see how these cutting-edge technologies are shaping the future of construction: Read more here
Dry Pour Concrete has been the craze lately on social media and testing has not been done to show its true strength compared to standard wet pour concrete. In this video we dive into everything you need to know about dry poured concrete and whether or not its stronger then traditional wet poured concrete.
For those looking for a 20 minute funny break in your day here is work job fails.
How to Install Drop-In Anchors from CONFAST concrete fasteners: confast.com
5 Key Applications for Using Wedge Anchors in Concrete Fastening
Wedge anchors are among the most reliable and versatile concrete fasteners available, offering superior holding power in solid concrete. Due to their strength and ease of installation, they are the go-to choice for various heavy-duty applications across different industries. Wedge anchors are designed to perform in challenging environments, ensuring stability and security where it matters most. It is also essential when choosing a wedge anchor for your application that you make sure that they meet the specifications for the environment and use case such as:
Chamfered top designed to prevent mushrooming during installation
Qualified for static and seismic loading conditions (seismic design categories A through F)
Suitable for horizontal, vertical and overhead applications
Standard (ANSI) fractional sizes fit standard fixtures and installs with common drill bit and tool sizes
Tested per ACI355.2 and AC193
Below are five key applications where wedge anchors provide unparalleled support in concrete fastening.
1. Securing Structural Steel Beams
One of the most common uses for wedge anchors is in securing structural steel beams to concrete foundations. In construction projects, stability is crucial, and wedge anchors offer the necessary strength to securely fasten heavy steel to concrete. By embedding the wedge anchor deep into the concrete, it expands as the nut is tightened, locking the beam in place. This application is essential for high-rise buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure that requires a solid foundation. Be sure to look for these key features to ensure successful installation.
2. Installing Heavy Machinery
Wedge anchors are ideal for anchoring heavy industrial machinery to concrete floors. In manufacturing plants and factories, large machines such as presses, lathes, and mills generate significant vibrations, which can loosen fasteners over time. Wedge anchors provide exceptional resistance to vibrations, ensuring that machinery remains securely fastened even under heavy operational loads. This not only improves safety but also reduces downtime caused by shifting or misalignment.
3. Mounting Handrails and Safety Barriers
Safety is a top priority in many commercial and industrial settings, and wedge anchors play a crucial role in securely fastening handrails and safety barriers to concrete surfaces. Whether it’s in a public stairwell, a factory floor, or a parking structure, wedge anchors ensure that handrails and barriers remain firmly in place to prevent accidents. Their high load capacity makes them suitable for areas where handrails are frequently used or where barriers are exposed to heavy impact.
4. Attaching Shelving and Storage Systems
Warehouses, distribution centers, and retail spaces often require robust shelving and storage systems that can handle large loads. Wedge anchors are perfect for anchoring these systems to concrete floors and walls, providing the necessary support to hold heavy items securely. Whether it’s pallet racks in a warehouse or storage units in a commercial setting, wedge anchors ensure that shelving systems remain stable and safe, even under heavy use.
5. Fastening Outdoor Structures
Wedge anchors are also frequently used in outdoor applications, such as railroad crossing gates, fences, and signage to concrete surfaces. These anchors offer excellent corrosion resistance, especially when made from stainless steel, making them suitable for long-term use in outdoor environments. Whether you’re securing a fence post to a concrete patio or installing a heavy-duty sign at an industrial site, wedge anchors provide reliable holding power in any weather condition.
Conclusion
Wedge anchors are indispensable for a wide variety of heavy-duty applications in both commercial and industrial settings. Their ability to securely fasten materials to concrete surfaces makes them a preferred choice for projects ranging from construction and machinery installation to safety and storage solutions. CONFAST offers a comprehensive range of Simpson Strong Tie wedge anchors to meet the specific needs of any project, ensuring durability, strength, and reliability in every application. Whether you’re building a skyscraper, installing machinery, or setting up storage racks, CONFAST selection of wedge anchors included Simpson Strong-Tie wedge anchors provide the holding power and security you can trust. Buy Wedge Anchors online 24/7: https://www.confast.com/products-wedge/
Top economist for cement and concrete industries reveals 2025 construction forecast. Ed Sullivan, the Chief Economist and Sr. Vice President of Market Intelligence for the Portland Cement Association (PCA) — which represents America’s cement manufacturers — says the Federal Reserve’s recent move to lower interest rates coupled with easing inflation signals a significant retreat in interest rate levels by the end of next year … all to the benefit of construction activity. https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/15102024/top-economist-for-cement-and-concrete-industries-reveals-2025-construction-forecast/
Ready-Mix Equipment Liners from Durex Products: We offer a number of wear-resistant urethane, and rubber liner solutions that provide long-term protection in concrete plants and concrete trucks.
Our urethane liners will combat impact, abrasion, noise, and sticking. Based on your needs, our liners can be installed by welding, bolting, or with high-strength magnets. We have developed our standard liners to fit plants and trucks from most major manufacturers.
Custom liners can be designed to suit any application. Just give us a call to discuss your needs: 715-483-9611 or email us: cs@durexproducts.com.
CONFAST Now Carries the Code-Listed Simpson Strong-Bolt 2 Anchor
We’re thrilled to announce that CONFAST now offers the Simpson Strong-Tie® Strong-Bolt 2 wedge-type expansion anchor—an ideal solution for high-performance anchoring in both cracked and uncracked concrete as well as masonry applications.
Engineered to excel under tough conditions, the Strong-Bolt 2 is code-listed for seismic and high-wind environments. With dual undercutting embossments on each clip segment, this anchor provides secondary expansion if a crack intersects the anchor location, ensuring load stability even if the hole expands.
Available in carbon steel and Type 304 and Type 316 stainless steel, the Strong-Bolt 2 is built for reliability and strength in any application. Trust CONFAST for your most demanding anchoring needs! Purchase today: https://www.confast.com/mfg-simpson/
For anyone that has known me for years knows I have tried to support the skate community. This program fits right in with my appreciation of concrete and skateboarding. This video explains what the program is all about: https://www.skate4concrete.com.
Tesla Semi factory to get massive amounts of concrete, update shows
Tesla has been building a dedicated Semi plant at its Gigafactory Nevada this year, and a recent construction update shows preparations for a massive amount of concrete yet to be laid.
In an update this week from Zanegler, a Giga Nevada observer and self-proclaimed Tesla Semi advocate, footage from the site shows tons of recent progress, including action shots of truss rods going up on the now-many steel beams at the site, and the various footings that will reportedly utilize a huge volume of concrete. https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-semi-factory-concrete-update/
Keegan Nelson spent nearly 10 years of his career in various roles with Martin Marietta, joining Durex Products in 2024. Nelson, who now serves Durex Products as vice president of sales, recently shared his experience related to screening with P&Q.
CONFAST Expands Product Offerings: CONFAST’s drywall anchors are fasteners that are best used for mounting items on surfaces such as drywall, sheetrock, gypsum, dry wall, wallboard, or plasterboard. Use them to keep items securely in place such as pictures, curtain rods, clocks, towel racks, light fixtures, hooks, hanging planters, TVs, wall mounted storage bins and more.
Walmart validates 3D-printed concrete on store addition’s 20-ft. wall Alquist 3D recently dispatched a concrete/mortar ink printer and crew to place a 20-ft. high enclosure for an 8,000-sq.-ft. addition to the Walmart Supercenter in Athens, Tenn. An articulating robot with 48-in. long, 1-in. diameter nozzle shuttled around each wall section perimeter, efficiently printing twin inner and outer layers with precision. The new facility will support the Walmart Online Pickup & Delivery program. https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2024/09/13/walmart-validates-3d-printed-concrete-on-store-additions-20-ft-wall/
With Concrete Paving Equipment, the Word is StringlessA look at how the changing technologies of concrete pavement equipment have adapted to the industry. “The buzzword is stringless,” says Stephen Bullock, president of Power Curbers Companies. “It’s been batted around for 15 years, 10 years ago we started seeing some real interest. And then over the last 5 years, it’s moving toward becoming the norm.”
Simpson Strong -Tie Exterior Wood Screws Available on CONFAST.com
Concrete Fastening Systems (CONFAST.com) now carries Simpson Strong-Tie exterior wood screws in various lengths and gauge sizes. The Strong-Drive® SDW wood screws will accommodate different wood thicknesses and densities and are typically intended for joining two pieces of wood. These exterior wood screws have a large sharp point for easy penetration into wood and a tapered shank. For complete technical specifications and / or to purchase: https://www.confast.com/exterior-structural-wood-screws
Durex Products design and build numerous high-performance wear parts and liners for the precast industry, including, but not limited to, the following:
Pan and planetary paddles, arm guards, and scrapers for various brands.
Liners for chutes, hoppers, and material transition areas, which are excellent for wear and reduces concrete sticking in areas. Available for bolting in, plug welding, and magnetizing.
Liners for vibrating tables, which greatly reduces noise.
Hurricane Season is Here! Don’t wait until it’s too late to secure your home and business with CONFAST’s top-rated Hurricane Anchors. Our anchors are designed to withstand the toughest storms, ensuring your property stays safe and intact. Each box comes with 25 sets of anchors. Save on orders over $35 with free shipping and save even more by signing up for our newsletter today!
Superior Strength: Engineered to hold fast in the most extreme conditions.
Easy Installation: Quick and hassle-free setup.
Durability: Built to last through multiple hurricane seasons.
Protect what matters most. Order your Hurricane Anchors today and be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws your way.
Sources: HydroGraph Clean Power Inc., Toronto; CP staff
HydroGraph Clean Power, a commercial processor of nanomaterials, and Arizona State University School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment researchers outline the role of high purity (> 99 percent carbon) graphene to elevate concrete performance in an ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering journal report. Measured against portland cement paste control specimens, HydroGraph fractal graphene aggregate (FGA-1) and reactive graphene (RGA-1) dosed at 0.04 percent helped a) increase early compressive strength by 70 percent and 28-day strength by 15 percent; b) reduce total porosity and critical pore size; and, c) more than double yield stress. The agents’ potential to function as supplementary cementitious materials indicates a prospective reduction in embodied carbon by 10-15 percent compared to portland cement concrete.
For a limited time every CONFAST Wedge Anchors order for the value to the left receives a FREE SDS Drill Bit. You can find our selection of Wedge Anchors to order here: https://www.confast.com/products-confast/
There’s only one place you’ll find the heavy hitters of concrete and masonry this January: Vegas, baby — at World of Concrete 2025, the largest and only annual international event dedicated to your business. Be here to mix with industry giants. Get your hands on the latest technologies revolutionizing safety, performance and speed and learn what it takes to not only claim a piece of our industry’s massive projected growth but dominate the field. World of Concrete is the industry’s ONLY annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry’s leading suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, and a world-class education program. Visit www.worldofconcrete.com for details. Follow World of Concrete on social at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter and YouTube for the most up to date information on the 2025 expo.
Doing More with Durex Elkhart County Gravel, headquartered in New Paris, Indiana, operates four Indiana and Illinois Department of Transportation certified sand and gravel pits in northern Indiana that produce landscape stone, asphalt blends, and concrete mined from a bench below water. As plant manager, Arnie Miller knows the value of investing in products that save money and increase plant production, which is why he partnered with Durex. “We’ve used Durex from day one. I’ve been buying screens from them for 35 years,” says Miller.
A ‘micro-village’ of knowledge in my own backyard—The monumental Winter Park Library and Events Center, located outside of Orlando, Fla., boasts compound, convex exterior precast walls that form three arched pavilions, mirroring the community’s extensive tree canopies. PCI-certified producer GATE Precast Co. (Kissimmee, Fla.) worked alongside New York-based architecture firm Adjaye Associates on the 56,000-sq.-ft. campus that is composed of a two-story library, events center with rooftop terrace, and a welcome portico. Read more about the project: https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2024/04/29/a-micro-village-of-knowledge/
Complete guide for installing the CONFAST® 1/4″-20 x 2-1/4″ Male Hurricane Anchoring Kit for Storm Panels, Plywood and Metal Panels (25 Sets, 1 Driver, Total 76 Pieces)
Elestrical foreman pranks young laborer into doing a fake seismic test with a voltmeter and a sledgehammer.
Durex Products offer a number of wear-resistant urethane, urethane-ceramic, and rubber-ceramic liner solutions that provide long-term protection in concrete plants and concrete trucks. Learn more: https://durexproducts.com/products/concrete-products/ready-mix-equipment-liners/
BMC Enterprises’ McKean elected NRMCA chairman The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has elected Nathan McKean as 2024 chairman, succeeding Adam Manatt of Iowa-based Manatt’s Inc. McKean is a strategic advisor to BMC Enterprises Inc., a St. Louis-based ready mixed, precast and aggregate producer where he served as chief executive officer for two decades, leading into the March 2024 sale of the business to the United Kingdom’s Breedon Group. Among chairman’s term priorities he noted during the NRMCA annual members’ meeting in Tampa, Fla.: Building up ConcretePAC, the NRMCA-aligned political action committee for which he is past chair; and, continuing dues task force work to ensure the association remains one “run like a business.” Joining McKean on the NRMCA officer slate is 2023 Vice Chairman Francis “Hall” Chaney, III of Maryland-based Chaney Enterprises. https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2024/04/02/bmc-enterprises-mckean-elected-nrmca-chairman/
Wedge anchors are sometimes used for attaching a stairway to Concrete. Order Wedge Anchors at https://www.confast.com/
CMC Ready Mix, a branch of the Construction Materials Company, started its third batch plant in Heber Valley just south of Utah’s prestigious Park City resort in July 2023 to provide concrete year-round for a fast growing, underserved market. Tecwill’s Arcamix 4.5 relocatable concrete batching plant is specifically engineered for cold weather batching and minimizes carbon emissions from production. https://concreteproducts.com/index.php/2024/01/31/cmc-ready-mix-deploys-first-tecwill-batch-plant-in-the-u-s/
It’s Not Cement…It’s Concrete
How many times have you told people this over the years?
This is an ANSI-rated Type II hard hat, which means that it is designed to offer protection from lateral blows and objects hitting the head from the front, back, and sides, as well as the top (Type 1 hard hats protect only from blows to the top of the head). It has an adjustable fit and accessory rails for options such as a four-point chin strap, a head lamp, earmuffs, and a face shield. I also liked that it is made in the U.S.
Read the rest of the review by clicking the link below
Q. Since steel expands when it rusts and destroys whatever is around it, why doesn’t the rebar used to reinforce concrete footings and foundations—which are in contact with ground water—rust and break the concrete into pieces?
A. Foster Lyons, an engineer and building-science consultant, responds: The short answer is, it does, but it happens so slowly and takes so long that it is insignificant to us. Properly placed rebar typically corrodes at a rate of about 1/10 micrometer per year across the thickness of the material. So, under normal conditions, a #5 bar (5/8-inch diameter) loses 2/10 micrometer from its diameter every year.
To determine if this is a problem, we have to understand the size of a micrometer. Also known as a micron and symbolized by the Greek letter µ, a micrometer is equal to one millionth (1/1,000,000) of a meter. By way of comparison, fine, thin hair is about 30µ in diameter and thick hair, about 130µ. A razor blade is about 0.4µ at its cutting edge, while a sharp knife blade is about 1µ; 5µ at the cutting edge is considered dull.
Concrete wedge anchors’ design allows them to anchor fixtures into concrete. Concrete wedge anchors work by inserting them into a hole drilled into concrete. The concrete wedge anchor is then expanded, wedging itself securely in the concrete. The length ID code and identifying marking are stamped on the head of every anchor. The ANSI drill bit size for these anchors is equivalent to the diameter of the anchors themselves.
Asking the right questions in a pre-construction meeting can lead to a quality placement.
Pre-construction meeting discussion items
Our experts proposed these checklist topics contractors should address with the general contractor and design professional in the discussions leading up to the placement.
Voters Give Go-Ahead for $350M in Bonds for Des Moines International Airport Expansion
Voters approved issuing $350 million in bonds Nov. 7 to replace the existing 1940s-era terminal at the Des Moines International Airport, according to unofficial vote tallies.
The proceeds from the bond sale will fund part of the first phase of construction on the $770 million project.
Concrete Sleeve Anchor – Light to Medium-duty concrete fastener/anchor for concrete, brick and block base material.
Sleeve anchor, sup-r-sleeve, thunderbolt, bolt sleeve anchor, lok bolt, lock bolt, dynabolt, sleeve all, sleeve anchors, concrete anchor, masonry anchor
Description:
Each high-quality steel part of the Concrete Sleeve Anchor is zinc plated. A tubular expander sleeve is assembled over a threaded stud with an outwardly flared cone-shaped end. The anchor, which works on a true expansion principal, comes ready for use with nut and washer. The cone-shaped stud end is pulled into the expander sleeve as the nut is tightened. This wedges the expander sleeve outward and locks the anchor into the base material. The Concrete Sleeve Anchor is also available in stainless steel.
Common variations and misspellings:
Super sleeve, Super-Sleeve, Thunder bolt, lockbolt, dyna-bolt
US DOT Picks Winners for $653M in Port Infrastructure Grants
The DOT awarded $653 million in grants on Friday to upgrade 41 water-based ports around the country. The funding is through the Port Infrastructure Development Program, which provides planning support, capital funding and project management assistance, and comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Some concrete humor to get through your week. Be sure to check back monthly for more news and products for concrete contractors.
